Code blocks & custom blocks

A fenced code block's identifier decides how NOPE handles it on export. There are three behaviors:

• ```latex passes its body into the PDF as raw LaTeX, unchanged.
• An identifier you declared in nope-blocks: renders as a LaTeX environment of that name, with the block body forwarded to your template as \nope<key> commands.
• Anything else stays an ordinary code fence, shown verbatim.

The middle one is the point of this page. You invent an identifier, declare it once, and define what it renders to in your custom template. That turns a readable key: value block in your note into any typeset output you want. The same block can render live in Obsidian through a plugin that understands it and export through your environment, from one source.

Inline LaTeX works too

The ```latex fence is only for convenience. LaTeX commands written straight into the running text are passed through the same way (for example a bare \newpage). The fence just keeps larger raw blocks readable and stops Markdown from touching them.

How a custom block works

Needs a custom template

Custom blocks only work with a custom LaTeX template. The environment a declared identifier renders to is defined there. See Custom LaTeX templates. The latex passthrough and plain fences work without one.

Two steps:

1. Declare the identifier in the document (or branding) frontmatter: nope-blocks: [myblock]. The pipeline now knows a ```myblock fence maps to a LaTeX environment called myblock.
2. Define that environment in your custom .tex template. Everything the block needs to render lives there, so the block's appearance is entirely yours.

The block body is YAML-lite and each line is forwarded as a command:

• key: value becomes \nope<key>.
• key: on its own opens a list. Its - subkey: value items become \nope<key><N>-<subkey>, and bare - value items become \nope<key><N>.
• Inline lists [a, b] have their brackets stripped. Indented lines continue the previous value.

Inside the environment you read those commands and lay them out however you like. An unparsable line is a hard export error. Declared blocks are unnumbered and not referencable. For numbering and [[refs]] use an atomic latex-env note instead.

Demo: a stat block

This is only a demonstration of the mechanism above. The identifier happens to be statblock, but the same approach works for any block you invent.

The note holds a plain statblock fence and renders live in Obsidian through the Fantasy Statblock plugin. The statblock environment in the co-located template turns the forwarded \nope<key> commands into the typeset output, from one source.

Open PDF

Source

statblock-example.mdnope_statblock.tex

---
title: "Stat blocks"
author: MrIwan
toc: false
nope-blocks:
  - statblock
nope-tlmgr:
  - tcolorbox
nope-template: "[[nope_statblock.tex]]"
---

# Stat blocks

A `statblock` fence in [Fantasy Statblock](https://plugins.javalent.com/statblocks) syntax renders live in Obsidian and exports through the `statblock` environment defined in the custom template, from one source. Each scalar key becomes `\nope<key>`; a block list like `traits:` becomes numbered `\nope<key><N>-<subkey>` commands.

The stat block look is inspired by the [DnD 5e LaTeX template](https://github.com/rpgtex/DND-5e-LaTeX-Template) by the rpgTeX team (MIT). Thanks for the groundwork.

```statblock
name: Goblin
size: Small
type: humanoid
alignment: neutral evil
ac: 15
hp: 7 (2d6)
speed: 30 ft.
stats: [8, 14, 10, 10, 8, 8]
cr: "1/4"
traits:
  - name: Nimble Escape
    desc: The goblin can take the Disengage or Hide action as a bonus action.
actions:
  - name: Scimitar
    desc: Melee weapon attack, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit 5 (1d6+2) slashing damage.
```

% nope_statblock.tex — minimal custom template that defines a `statblock`
% environment for the nope-blocks demo. Based on nope_minimal.tex; the marked
% NOPE-IMPORTS block is kept verbatim. Point a document at it via frontmatter:
%   nope-blocks: [statblock]
%   nope-template: "[[nope_statblock.tex]]"
%
% The `statblock` fence format follows the Fantasy Statblock Obsidian plugin, and
% the typeset look is inspired by the DnD 5e LaTeX template by the rpgTeX team
% (MIT, https://github.com/rpgtex/DND-5e-LaTeX-Template). Thanks to both.
\documentclass[11pt]{article}

\usepackage[T1]{fontenc}
\usepackage[utf8]{inputenc}
\usepackage{lmodern}
\usepackage{microtype}
\usepackage[english]{babel} % change to ngerman for German documents
\usepackage{xcolor}
\usepackage{graphicx}
\usepackage{calc}
\usepackage{fancyvrb}
\usepackage{fvextra}
\usepackage{hyperref}

% Pandoc helper macros that its default template provides.
\newcommand{\passthrough}[1]{#1}
\providecommand{\tightlist}{\setlength{\itemsep}{0pt}\setlength{\parskip}{0pt}}
\providecommand{\nonumberline}{}
\setlength{\emergencystretch}{3em}
\makeatletter
\newsavebox\pandoc@box
\newcommand*\pandocbounded[1]{%
  \sbox\pandoc@box{#1}%
  \Gscale@div\@tempa{\textheight}{\dimexpr\ht\pandoc@box+\dp\pandoc@box\relax}%
  \Gscale@div\@tempb{\linewidth}{\wd\pandoc@box}%
  \ifdim\@tempb\p@<\@tempa\p@\let\@tempa\@tempb\fi%
  \ifdim\@tempa\p@<\p@\scalebox{\@tempa}{\usebox\pandoc@box}%
  \else\usebox{\pandoc@box}%
  \fi%
}
\makeatother

% Syntax highlighting for fenced code blocks (Shaded/Highlighting environments).
$if(highlighting-macros)$
$highlighting-macros$
\DefineVerbatimEnvironment{Highlighting}{Verbatim}{breaklines,fontsize=\small,commandchars=\\\{\}}
$endif$

% Citeproc citations + bibliography (CSLReferences environment).
$if(csl-refs)$
\NewDocumentCommand\citeproctext{}{}
\NewDocumentCommand\citeproc{mm}{%
  \begingroup\def\citeproctext{#2}\cite{#1}\endgroup}
\makeatletter
 \let\@cite@ofmt\@firstofone
 \def\@biblabel#1{}
 \def\@cite#1#2{{#1\if@tempswa , #2\fi}}
\makeatother
\newlength{\cslhangindent}
\setlength{\cslhangindent}{1.5em}
\newlength{\csllabelwidth}
\setlength{\csllabelwidth}{3em}
\newenvironment{CSLReferences}[2]
  {\begin{list}{}{%
   \setlength{\itemindent}{0pt}
   \setlength{\leftmargin}{0pt}
   \setlength{\parsep}{0pt}
   \ifodd #1
    \setlength{\leftmargin}{\cslhangindent}
    \setlength{\itemindent}{-1\cslhangindent}
   \fi
   \setlength{\itemsep}{#2\baselineskip}}}
  {\end{list}}
\newcommand{\CSLBlock}[1]{\hfill\break\parbox[t]{\linewidth}{\strut\ignorespaces#1\strut}}
\newcommand{\CSLLeftMargin}[1]{\parbox[t]{\csllabelwidth}{\strut#1\strut}}
\newcommand{\CSLRightInline}[1]{\parbox[t]{\linewidth - \csllabelwidth}{\strut#1\strut}}
\newcommand{\CSLIndent}[1]{\hspace{\cslhangindent}#1}
$endif$

% --- Stat block environment ----------------------------------------------------
% Fed by a ```statblock code block (nope-blocks: [statblock]). Each scalar key is
% exposed as \nope<key>; a block list like traits: becomes \nope<key><N>-<subkey>.
% The macros are defined by the pipeline just before \begin{statblock}, so this
% environment reads them in its begin part; the body itself stays empty.
%
% Self-contained 5e-inspired look (tan box, dark-red small-caps title, rules, an
% ability-score row with computed modifiers). Modelled on the DnD 5e LaTeX
% template by the rpgTeX team (MIT, https://github.com/rpgtex/DND-5e-LaTeX-Template)
% but rebuilt standalone here, so it needs only tcolorbox, no dndbook package.
\usepackage{tcolorbox}
\tcbuselibrary{breakable}
\definecolor{DndMonsterTan}{HTML}{FDF1DC}
\definecolor{DndDarkRed}{HTML}{58180D}
\definecolor{DndRuleRed}{HTML}{922610}

\newcommand{\sbkey}[1]{\csname nope#1\endcsname}
\newcommand{\sbif}[2]{\ifcsname nope#1\endcsname#2\fi}
\newcommand{\sbrule}{\par\smallskip\textcolor{DndRuleRed}{\rule{\linewidth}{1pt}}\par\smallskip}
\newcommand{\sbthinrule}{\par\nobreak\textcolor{DndRuleRed}{\rule{\linewidth}{0.4pt}}\par\smallskip}
\newcommand{\sbsection}[1]{\par\medskip\noindent{\color{DndDarkRed}\large\scshape #1}\sbthinrule}
% List entry N of <key>: name/desc → \nope<key><N>-name / -desc.
\newcommand{\sbentry}[2]{%
  \ifcsname nope#1#2-name\endcsname
    \par\smallskip\noindent{\bfseries\itshape\csname nope#1#2-name\endcsname.}\ %
    \ifcsname nope#1#2-desc\endcsname\csname nope#1#2-desc\endcsname\fi
  \fi}
\newcommand{\sbiflist}[2]{\ifcsname nope#11-name\endcsname#2\fi}
% Ability scores: "stats: [12, 8, 13, 10, 14, 15]" → six columns "12 (+1)".
\newcommand{\sbmod}[1]{\the\numexpr(#1-\ifodd\numexpr#1\relax 11\else 10\fi)/2\relax}
\newcommand{\sbstatcell}[1]{%
  \the\numexpr#1\relax\
  (\ifnum\numexpr(#1-\ifodd\numexpr#1\relax 11\else 10\fi)/2\relax<0\else+\fi\sbmod{#1})}
\def\sbsplitstats#1,#2,#3,#4,#5,#6\sbendstats{%
  \begin{tabular*}{\linewidth}{@{\extracolsep{\fill}}cccccc@{}}
    \textbf{STR}&\textbf{DEX}&\textbf{CON}&\textbf{INT}&\textbf{WIS}&\textbf{CHA}\\
    \sbstatcell{#1}&\sbstatcell{#2}&\sbstatcell{#3}&%
    \sbstatcell{#4}&\sbstatcell{#5}&\sbstatcell{#6}%
  \end{tabular*}}
\newtcolorbox{sb@box}{breakable,colback=DndMonsterTan,colframe=DndRuleRed,
  boxrule=0pt,toprule=2.5pt,bottomrule=2.5pt,arc=0pt,left=6pt,right=6pt}
\newenvironment{statblock}{%
  \begin{sb@box}\small
  \noindent{\color{DndDarkRed}\scshape\LARGE \sbkey{name}\par}
  \noindent{\itshape\sbif{size}{\sbkey{size} }\sbif{type}{\sbkey{type}}%
    \sbif{alignment}{, \sbkey{alignment}}\par}
  \sbrule
  {\color{DndDarkRed}%
   \sbif{ac}{\par\noindent\textbf{Armor Class} \sbkey{ac}}%
   \sbif{hp}{\par\noindent\textbf{Hit Points} \sbkey{hp}}%
   \sbif{speed}{\par\noindent\textbf{Speed} \sbkey{speed}}\par}%
  \sbif{stats}{\sbrule{\color{DndDarkRed}%
    \expandafter\expandafter\expandafter\sbsplitstats\csname nopestats\endcsname\sbendstats\par}}%
  \sbif{cr}{\sbrule{\color{DndDarkRed}\noindent\textbf{Challenge} \sbkey{cr}\par}}%
  \sbrule
  \sbentry{traits}{1}\sbentry{traits}{2}\sbentry{traits}{3}%
  \sbiflist{actions}{\sbsection{Actions}}%
  \sbentry{actions}{1}\sbentry{actions}{2}\sbentry{actions}{3}%
}{\end{sb@box}}
% ------------------------------------------------------------------------------

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
%%% NOPE-IMPORTS — DO NOT CHANGE unless you know what you are doing.        %%%
%%% Everything NOPE's pipeline needs: tables, callouts, theorems, glossary, %%%
%%% cross-reference names. Keep this block verbatim in any custom template. %%%
%%% Must sit after hyperref and BEFORE header-includes.                     %%%
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
\usepackage{graphicx}
\usepackage{longtable,booktabs,array}
\usepackage{amsmath,amssymb} % math + task-list checkboxes (\square/\boxtimes)
\usepackage{float}  % [H] placement: fit-tables (filter emits table[H]) + figures
\floatplacement{figure}{$if(float-placement-figure)$$float-placement-figure$$else$H$endif$}

% Unicode fallbacks
\DeclareUnicodeCharacter{2212}{\ensuremath{-}}        % minus sign
\DeclareUnicodeCharacter{2264}{\ensuremath{\leq}}
\DeclareUnicodeCharacter{2265}{\ensuremath{\geq}}
\DeclareUnicodeCharacter{2260}{\ensuremath{\neq}}
\DeclareUnicodeCharacter{2192}{\ensuremath{\rightarrow}}
\DeclareUnicodeCharacter{03B1}{\ensuremath{\alpha}}
\DeclareUnicodeCharacter{03B2}{\ensuremath{\beta}}
\DeclareUnicodeCharacter{03BC}{\ensuremath{\mu}}
\DeclareUnicodeCharacter{03C0}{\ensuremath{\pi}}
\DeclareUnicodeCharacter{2080}{\textsubscript{0}}
\DeclareUnicodeCharacter{2082}{\textsubscript{2}}

% Callouts (callouts.lua → awesomebox) and highlights (==text== → soul \hl).
\usepackage{awesomebox}
\usepackage{soul}
\usepackage{soulutf8}

% SVG logos/images.
\usepackage{svg}

% Theorem-family environments (latex-env: theorem/lemma/...).
\usepackage{amsthm}
\theoremstyle{plain}
\newtheorem{theorem}{Theorem}[section]
\newtheorem{lemma}{Lemma}[section]
\newtheorem{corollary}{Corollary}[section]
\newtheorem{proposition}{Proposition}[section]
\theoremstyle{definition}
\newtheorem{definition}{Definition}[section]
\newtheorem{example}{Example}[section]
\theoremstyle{remark}
\newtheorem*{remark}{Remark}
\newtheorem*{note}{Note}
\providecommand{\theoremautorefname}{Theorem}
\providecommand{\lemmaautorefname}{Lemma}
\providecommand{\corollaryautorefname}{Corollary}
\providecommand{\propositionautorefname}{Proposition}
\providecommand{\definitionautorefname}{Definition}
\providecommand{\exampleautorefname}{Example}

% Glossary + acronyms (gls-* notes). Must precede the injected entries.
\usepackage[acronym, toc, nonumberlist]{glossaries}
\makeglossaries

% Language-aware \autoref names (figure/table/equation/... per babel language).
\AtBeginDocument{%
  \IfPackageLoadedTF{babel}{%
    \iflanguage{ngerman}{%
      \renewcommand{\figureautorefname}{Abbildung}%
      \renewcommand{\tableautorefname}{Tabelle}%
      \renewcommand{\equationautorefname}{Gleichung}%
      \renewcommand{\sectionautorefname}{Abschnitt}%
      \renewcommand{\contentsname}{Inhaltsverzeichnis}%
    }{}%
    \iflanguage{english}{%
      \renewcommand{\figureautorefname}{Figure}%
      \renewcommand{\tableautorefname}{Table}%
      \renewcommand{\equationautorefname}{Equation}%
      \renewcommand{\sectionautorefname}{Section}%
    }{}%
  }{}%
}
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
%%% END NOPE-IMPORTS                                                        %%%
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

$for(header-includes)$
$header-includes$
$endfor$

\title{$title$}
$if(author)$\author{$author$}$endif$
$if(date)$\date{$date$}$endif$

\begin{document}

$if(title)$\maketitle$endif$
$if(toc)$\tableofcontents\newpage$endif$

$body$

$if(has-glossary)$
\clearpage
\printglossary[type=\acronymtype, title={Acronyms}]
\printglossary[title={Glossary}]
$endif$

\end{document}

Thanks

The statblock demo format follows the Fantasy Statblock plugin, and its typeset look is modelled on the DnD 5e LaTeX template by the rpgTeX team (MIT). Thanks to both.